Gregor, a 59-year-old resident of Trier, Germany's oldest city, expresses distress over increasing poverty, noting that he now sees elderly people searching for food in bins. This stark change in his city mirrors the broader economic struggles facing Germany, highlighted by a crumbling infrastructure and the recent collapse of a political coalition. As he navigates job loss and contemplates a future in Luxembourg for its superior pension system, many Germans are preparing to vote amidst a tumultuous political landscape, eager for solutions to pressing economic challenges.
When I walk the dog, I see old people looking for food in rubbish bins. It hurts me. Twenty years ago, I never saw anything like this.
Most people agreed Germany's malaise is primarily to be blamed on a lack of sorely needed investment in the country's ailing transport, energy, housing, education, and health infrastructure.
Opinions on how such investments should be financed diverged enormously, reflecting deep divides in public attitudes towards financial policy and governance.
Gregor, who has two sons in their 20s, worked in the financial industry for about 40 years until he lost his job last summer.
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